


Going Back and Getting Back

by TheLittleImp



Category: Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Family, Forced adoption, French and Indian War, Kidnapping, Seven years war, Somewhat Historically Accurate, Time Travel, brothers in arms, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-17 07:34:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14828112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittleImp/pseuds/TheLittleImp
Summary: An accident in Cyborg's lab sends Speedy, Robin, and Kid Flash on a trip to the French and Indian War. Their problems go from trying to blend in to trying to stay alive.





	1. Chapter 1

Going Back and Getting Back

Roy, Wally and Dick were hanging out at Cyborg's lab on the Watch Tower. There were no missions to go on at the moment and the rest of the Team were visiting family or friends. This left Robin, Kid Flash, and Speedy bored. The three of them used to hang out there when they were younger and since Roy had joined the Team, it was reminiscent of old times when they were just starting out as heroes.

Victor had told them he was working on a new teleporter. Robin was sure he was lying, but he was used to the League's secrets. He had his own secrets, so who was he to judge people who had been doing this longer than he had? The machine was a large circular ring of metal with wires sticking out of it all over the place. It was hooked up to a computer a few feet away. The thing started making noise, and it lit up for a few seconds. Cyborg backed away from his work. Yeah, there was no way that was a zeta tube.

"I have to get some parts," Cyborg said once the machine went quiet. "Don't touch anything," he ordered as he walked out of the lab.

Wally being Wally was instantly by the 'zeta tube', poking around the wires and looking at the computer. He knew more about the teleports the League used than people gave him credit for.

"Wally!" Roy snapped. "Get away from that." He wasn't going to get in trouble for Wally being a moron, but that's how things went. He was the oldest; he was supposed to be in charge and keep the others from getting hurt, but there seemed to be this unspoken agreement between Kid Flash and Robin to get in as much trouble as possible, then point the finger at Speedy when their guardians were standing in front of them expecting an explanation.

"I don't think this is a zeta tube," Wally said ignoring Roy, who had come over to physically pull Kid Flash away from Cyborg's project. Dick came too. He wanted to know what it was, since the odds of Batman telling him were low, which just made him that much more curious.

Suddenly the machine powered up again, only this time it was louder and brighter. They were blinded by the blue light flashing, and then the room was empty of the three heroes. Victor walked into his lab to find the machine winding down. He dropped the heavy box of metal and wires he'd left to get.

"Bats is going to kill me," Cyborg muttered to himself.

Dick fell out of the gateway created by the machine, landing on his feet. Roy and Wally weren't so lucky. They both ended up on their backs. Robin could honestly say he wasn't surprised at finding himself in a cool forest. They were overdue for a life or death experience anyway. The sun was disappearing behind the trees, and he could hear birds singing and bugs chirping. It was beautiful and calm with not another soul for miles. That peaceful feeling was interrupted seconds later.

"Bats going to kill us," Roy groaned loudly. He did not like being on the receiving end of his adopted uncle's anger. He got up and took in their surroundings. He could just make out lights from a house through the thick trees.

"Us? More like me," Wally said, brushing himself off. "I wonder where we're at." His mind had already jumped gears. He'd worry about Batman later.

Dick had been very quiet this whole time. He spoke up now. "The question should be, when are we?"

"What?" Roy asked, turning to look at Robin, who had taken his sunglasses off. He didn't like the sound of that at all.

"I was snooping around on Bruce's computer a while ago and found designs for a time machine," Dick explained. "He wasn't planning on changing the past or anything. It was going to be strictly for observing historical events."

"Dude, you can forget about Bats killing you. I'm going to do it myself," Roy half shouted. He started for Wally, who backed away.

"Is there any way the League can find us, or we can get back?" Wally asked quickly. Hopefully Speedy would be distracted from murdering him for the moment.

"We can't get back through this end, but the League should be able to find us easily. They'll have to finish the machine first. It records the date and place a person went to. The portal leaves a slight radiated signal that can be tracked, like Batman uses for marked bills to keep an eye on the mob," Dick answered. "It shouldn't be too long before they find us. While we're stuck here we need to make sure we don't do anything that could change the future. That shouldn't be too hard to avoid."  
"What about the butterfly effect?" Roy asked. He didn't much like the idea of messing up the future just from being wherever it was they were.

"I don't think the three of us will cause any long-lasting damage just by being here. So long as we don't change any important historical situations, we should be good," Dick said.

"So, if someone's getting attacked by a bear, we can't do anything?" Wally asked.

"Why a bear?" Dick asked, laughing a little. This was just getting too ridiculous, but that was his life after all. One insane adventure after another. Who knew, this might turn out to be interesting, provided they all came through it alive and in one piece.

"I watched 'The Revenant' last night. Well?" Wally said. That had been one messed up bear. Aunt Iris had had nightmares because of it.

"Okay, so maybe we don't need to take it that far. I'm thinking more like causing the death of Abraham Lincoln. That would be a problem."

"Also, no super speed," Roy ordered.

"Great," Wally muttered. He hated having to wait for the others. They were so slow, but it probably wasn't a good idea to split up. He didn't want to be stuck in the past for any longer than necessary. Saying that in his head just sounded so weird, but it shouldn't have, considering the fact that he had super speed and was friends with an alien, the half clone of Superman, an Atlantean, two people who fought crime with bows and a ninja. At this point he didn't know why stuff even fazed him.

"Come on. Let's get to that house," Roy said. It was getting cold, and he had no desire to spend all night out in the woods.

When they reached the house, they found that it was a cabin. Dick thought it might be a trading post. It was right by a river, and there was a canoe pulled up on the shore. It was straight out of some of the books his mother had read to him when he was little. As the three of them got closer, a dog started barking loudly. The door was opened and the silhouette of a man with a rifle appeared in the light thrown out from inside the cabin.

"Who's out there?" the man demanded. "Come into the light."

Dick, Wally and Roy slowly walked into the light. Dick was glad they were in civvies. Their uniforms would have made things worse. It was bad enough as it was. They stuck out like sore thumbs.

"I'm Dick Johnson," Dick said. "This is Wally Allen and Roy Green."

"There anyone else out there?" the man asked, sharply.

"No, just us," Roy answered.

"Come on in." The man's demeanor changed from defensive to welcoming in a second.

They shuffled in out of the cold. There were two men besides the man who'd met them at the door and a woman.

"I'm James Newman. This is my wife, Blue Corn. What are you all doing out in the woods this time of night? Don't you know the Shawnee are raiding settlements up and down the river?" the man questioned shortly. He was the picture of a frontiersman.

"We got separated from our families," Roy explained. "We were headed west. Where are we?"

"Near Copperhead*," Newman said.

Dick almost hit Wally over the head. Copperhead was a settlement in Ohio before it became a state. "What's the date?"

"September 8th 1756," one of the other men answered. "You picked a fine time to be out here, right in the middle of Indian Summer." The sarcasm and mockery in the man's voice was annoyed and impossible to mistake as anything else.

"Where are you from?" Blue Corn asked, eager to change the subject. This was not a topic she wanted talked about in her home.

"I'm from New York," Roy answered.

"Jamestown," Wally said. It was the first city that popped into his head that he was sure had been founded before 1756.

"Gotham," Dick said shortly. Gotham City had been established in 1635. It was just as bad then as it was in Dick's time.

They talked a while longer. The subject of their odd clothes was broached, but Robin managed to steer the conversation away from that and onto safe territory. Blue Corn and James offered to let them spend the night in the barn, which they accepted.

"Thank you," Roy said as James showed them out to the barn. "Dick."

Dick stepped forward and handed Newman a few nuggets of gold. Wally once jokingly told Dick that his and Batman's utility belts were bottomless pits that were filled with everything a paranoid Bat could think of. It seemed to be true sometimes, considering the random things Robin was seen pulling out of it.

"Where did you kids come by this?" James asked in surprise.

"My guardian," Dick said curtly. He hoped Newman wasn't the kind of person that would try to murder them in their sleep, hoping to find more gold. It would be unfortunate for him if he was. "That should be enough to pay for clothes, food and a place to sleep." Their clothes were too conspicuous to keep.

James nodded and disappeared back into the cabin. He returned a few minutes later with deerskin breeches, shirts and moccasins for the three of them. They would hold up better than homespun cloth, and that's what was needed in this rough land.

"Blue Corn made these," James said, giving the clothes to Wally. He and his wife saw more people throughout the year than most, but he'd never seen kids like the ones in his barn. He got the impression they weren't being completely honest, but it was their business, not his and he had no right to ask.

"Thank you," Wally said. He wondered if their being there had already altered things. It shouldn't have according to Robin, and he was almost never wrong, right?

James went back to his cabin and the three of them quickly changed into the deerskin.

"What are we going to do with these?" Wally said, looking at his jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers. They had to be gotten rid of, and he didn't think it would be a good idea to burn them.

"Bury them," Roy ordered. All traces of the future had to be hidden. They would decay over time and shouldn't be discovered if they were buried near a structure. It wasn't likely anyone would be digging by a wall.

Dick, Wally, and Roy waited until the candles were snuffed out in the cabin, and the fire on the shore was reduced to glowing embers before they crept out of the barn. They buried anything they had with them that would look out of place which was just about everything they had. Dick was reluctant to give up his utility belt, but that was probably the most suspicious thing they had.

"Can't I keep a few of my batarangs and some smoke pellets?" Robin half begged. He'd been trained never to go anywhere unprepared for a fight, and besides what was the harm in four or five batarangs and a couple smoke pellets. He wasn't going to mention the batarangs were laced with explosives. This was a dangerous time after all, and it wasn't like he was going to carry a rifle.

"Fine, but don't let anyone see them," Roy allowed grudgingly. If he had had his bow he wouldn't be quick to give it up. Their gear was part of who they were. It was ingrained in both he and Robin not to surrender their weapons. That's how they protected themselves and each other.

They went back to the barn and made beds in the hay loft. Somewhere in the woods they heard an owl calling. It was strange how peaceful Dick felt. They were as far from home as one could get, yet he wasn't scared. No Joker, no mob, and no one trying to kill him. There was war and murder of course, but it didn't seem as if that could reach him here. Most people were just trying to survive and make a life for themselves and their children out of this wilderness.

"What's worse; the fact we're in this situation or that we're handling it like it's normal?" Wally asked. His voice seemed to resonate in the dark barn. He still couldn't believe they were in 1756. Leave it to the League to build a time machine. Whose idea had that been anyway?

"I think we left 'normal' back there a while ago," Roy said, in a cynical tone.

"It's just how life goes. You can either get on with life or life will get on without you," Dick said. He'd learned that after his parents were killed, so he enjoyed every second he got with his new family. Life was too short to be wasted, especially when it was taken into account that one never knew when a loved one might be taken.

Wally huffed. "I forgot I was talking to Doom and Gloom. You too should lighten up. This could be a lot worse after all."

Another owl went calling through the trees. Yes, it could be worse. They would realize how true that was soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Dick heard soft footsteps. It took him only a fraction of a second to grasp that someone was coming up the ladder to the loft. Suddenly a painted face appeared. Dick's eyes locked with a pair of dark brown ones before he gave a warning cry to Kid Flash and Speedy, who were instantly awake. They were on their feet by the time the tall Indian climbed the rest of the way up the ladder. He was followed by four more.

Dick jumped for the loft's big window, but a big hand shot forward and caught him by his hair. Robin had gotten a glance outside. It was enough to see that the trading post was being set on fire. The two men with the canoe were lying dead on the shore. James and Blue Corn were nowhere in sight. Hopefully they had gotten away, but he didn't have time to think about that.

Roy and Wally were putting up a convincing fight, but they wouldn't show what they were truly capable of. In a matter of minutes all three of them were prisoners. Their hands were tied tightly in front of them with pieces of rawhide. Robin wouldn't show the Indians how scared he was. He didn't allow himself to admit to fear even in this situation. They would escape, if not now, then later.

The Indian who had caught Dick started pulling him towards the ladder. He had the horrible idea that the man meant to throw him down to the barn's floor below. He thought he would be able to stick the landing, but he didn't want to chance it. Robin sprain forward and up, slamming his head into that of his captor's. There was a resounding crack, and the man let go of Dick. The warrior grabbed his head in pained surprise. The four other Shawnee snickered at their comrade, who didn't appreciate that at all. He roughly threw Dick over his broad shoulders and went down the ladder without any trouble.

Dick could hear the sound of the trading post being engulfed in flames. It was a loud roaring punctuated with the giving way of logs. He was set down unexpectedly and led outside where the horror continued. He could now clearly see the two men. Arrows were stuck in them, and they had been going for their weapons when they were shot down. There were a dozen or more Shawnee waiting for the others in the clearing, waiting to burn down the barn along with the cabin. Roy and Wally were led by their captors and the building was set on fire.

Dick counted ten other captives. All of them looked shocked that this was happening to them. He knew the feeling of watching his world crumble. He had an idea of what they must be going through. He thought about dropping some of his smoke pellets and using the cover to slip away. There was one problem with that plan, however. He'd be leaving Speedy and KF behind. When it came to stealth, they couldn't keep up with him and he wouldn't abandon them. It was best to bide their time and act only when their freedom was ensured.

Goods from the trading post were gathered into packs and bundles. These were given to the captives to carry. The three heroes and the others were forced to walk into the forest. It had happened so fast Roy was still trying to understand it. In 1756, the French and Indian War was raging, and they had clearly been caught up in it. His early American history wasn't the best, but he had a rough knowledge of the time period. For some reason, he hadn't even thought of the war last night, but if he had, would it have altered his actions? Probably not. The trading post would have been just as dangerous as any other place they could have chosen to spend the night.

They moved fast though the forest. One of the Shawnee walked at the end of the miserable procession, erasing the trail they left. It was mostly quiet other than some of the children's voices asking what was happening, but they were quickly hushed. The birds were singing happily, completely ignorant of what was passing under their perches. The sound of the tramping feet seemed to echo in the endless, expansive wilderness.

"How's your Shawnee?" Dick asked Roy in a whisper. He probably should have had at least some background of Native American languages, but it didn't really come up in any of his and Batman's cases. He hadn't thought it was necessary to learn it, and he was regretting that now.

"I know a little Algonquian, but I was raised by the Navajo, and they spoke English or Na'Dene," Roy explained in an undertone. Algonquian was the dialect the Shawnee used.

A few of the Shawnee were talking and started laughing at one of their friends. It was the man who had captured Dick.

"What's up?" Wally whispered. He didn't know why they were whispering. It wasn't like their captors would care if they were talking. Would they?

"Something about Fire Crow getting attacked by a white child," Roy answered. "I think anyway." He wished Brave Bow, his first adoptive father had taught him more Algonquin, but it hadn't seemed important when he was eleven. He'd been more interested in out shooting anyone on the reservation.

"I take it that's Fire Crow," Wally said, nodding his head in the direction of the tall Shawnee.

"I've picked up a few other names, and it sounds like we're going to meet up with another war party, and then head to Fort Duquesne," Roy told them.

"That's Fort Pitt, or at least it will be in 1758," Dick added. "It's situated at the fork where the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio River."

"Why do you know all that?" Wally asked.

"Because unlike you, I stay awake in school," Dick smirked.

Wally rolled his eyes. "So, do you think they'll separate us?" He tried to hide the fear in his voice at that prospect. He didn't think that would happen, and if it did they could just take off. The Shawnee would have their hands too full keeping an eye on the other captives to come after them, right? It was kind of heartless to think that way, but if he was in the others' position he'd want them to escape.

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything about them slipping up," Roy said. He didn't mention he could have easily missed it, if they had.

Suddenly a whip cracked over their heads, making them jump. Roy hadn't been paying attention to the level of his voice, and he had obviously been overheard by their captors.

"No English!" a warrior snapped. He was walking behind the captives to keep them in line.

"Sorry," Roy said in Algonquin.

The man looked surprised, then pleased. He rambled something to Roy, who almost laughed. He'd maybe gotten every sixth word.

"Slow," Roy said.

The warrior repeated what he had said slower and more clearly. "How is it that you know my language?"

"I was raised by a tribe farther west and they taught me some." The more Speedy heard the more he was able to remember.

"Why are you with the white men?" To be adopted into a tribe was to be adopted for life.

"My father, Brave Bow died and I was send back to the whites," Roy explained. It was a little more complicated than that, but he didn't have the desire or the vocabulary to get into all that.

The man was silent for a few seconds. "I think you will do well with my people. My name is Big Knife," he said shortly. Big Knife looked as if he would have stayed and kept talking, but at that moment one of the captives started to fall behind. He went to correct the situation. No one was getting away on his watch.

"What was all that?" Wally asked. Roy had seemed pretty serious the whole time he'd been talking with the Shawnee warrior.

"Not now," Roy ordered. He didn't want to lose the favor he'd gained. It would help he and his friends later.

They walked all day, until the sun began to sink below the horizon. It would have been beautiful to see, but the cries of women and children, mixed with the smell of gunpowder and blood ruined the picture for Dick. It was best not to think about what these people were going through. It reminded him of being taken from the circus. He'd been terrified, and no one would tell him what was going on. Then Bruce had come and taken him home. What he wouldn't give to be there now. He was sure Batman was out of his mind with worry, and he hated scaring Bruce.

Roy had spent most of their forced march learning the names of the Shawnee warriors. There was White Turkey, Wooden Leg, Little Wolf, Two Moons and Tall Bull to name a few. They were friendly for the most part and liked that Roy could speak to them. The other part of the day, he'd been teaching Wally as many Algonquian words as the speedster could pick up, which was an impressive number. It was putting them together to make sentences that was proving to be a problem, but Wally could probably get his meaning across.

The Shawnees made camp and a few of them handed out dried meat from the packs to the captives. Wally was beyond hunger. Blue Corn and James had shared what they had with them the night before. That was more time than he usually went without eating.

No fire was lit even though it was cold. They didn't want anyone to see the light through the trees. It would be a clear give away. That was bad, Roy realized. If the warriors thought they were being followed they might kill all of their captives. They were slowing them down and when it came down to it, it would be faster to kill them all and run.

Big Knife and Fire Crow took long pieces of rawhide out of the packs and started tying the captives' ankles together, so none of them could escape in the night. Dick's wrists were already raw from the being tied all day, and it looked like the same could be said for the others sitting in the small clearing.

"I am sorry for this," Big Knife said when he got to Roy, who put up no fight when being tied.

"Why are you talking to this white boy? He does not understand," Fire Crow said. He was in an angry mood. The younger warriors had tormented him all day. So, what if one of the captives had head-butted him? But White Turkey and Two Moons had turned it into a story and made it sound as if the child had actually been near knocking him unconscious.

"He lived with a tribe and knows some of our speech," Big Knife said. He knew Fire Crow was just irritated. He'd tell Two Moons and White Turkey not to pester him tomorrow. They would just have to find some other form of amusement.

It wasn't long before the camp was quiet. Roy was able to tell Dick and Wally what he had learned. It wasn't much, but anything to pass along might prove useful in the long run. The Shawnee kept to themselves on one side of the clearing.

"Hello," one of the captive men whispered to Roy. "I'm Sean Batten." He was a young man, about twenty or so. His hair had been bleached blond by the sun, and he wore homespun.

Roy gave him the names Dick had used for them the night before.

"Where were you taken from?" Wally asked. It wasn't like he knew the area, but it seemed like a reasonable question to ask under the circumstances.

"A few miles from the trading post," Sean answered. He'd been out hunting when they had captured him. He hadn't heard a thing. One minute he was looking for his supper, and the next he'd been attacked by four warriors. They easily could have killed him but chose not to. "Did you all live there?" He knew James and Blue Corn, and it was like them to offer a person in need a place to stay. They had been talking about finding help for the farm.

"No, we were just spending the night there," Wally answered.

Sean dropped his eyes in shame. "I should have called out. You all might be free now if I had."

Dick shrugged. "Don't worry about it. They most likely would have killed you if you had."

"I still could have tried," Sean said.

"Did you see what happened to the Newmans?" Roy asked. He hoped they weren't dead. They seemed like good people.

"They weren't in the house. I think they were going across the river to her sister's home. She's going to have a baby soon and wanted Blue Corn there," Sean answered. He hoped that's where they were. They should be safe there. He glanced at Big Knife, who was speaking to White Turkey. "That one with the whip, why did he talk to you?" He didn't mean to be suspicious, but it was possible that one or more of them was a renegade. Word had been going around that a few boys had joined the Indian tribes, looking for adventure. If Roy was working with them, he most likely would try to gain the trust of the others and tell the Shawnee if anyone was planning to escape. It was a hard fact of war. Better not to trust and stay alive.

"I lived with a Western tribe for most of my life," Roy answered. "Then I left and came to this part of the country. While I was there I learned a few languages." How many times would he have to explain that? He didn't like the look on Sean's face. He'd spent too much time interrogating criminals not to know when someone was trying to hide what they were thinking. He looked up at the star. He'd found the same constellations with Oliver beside him pointing them out. Dinah had come out of the house calling them inside. He wanted to go home to his parents. They'd welcomed him back home after he'd left during the whole Hall of Justice incident, no questions asked and now they might as well be one of those stars for all the good it did.

"Ssshhh," Dick hissed. Fire Crow was looking their way. The idea of getting in trouble with the tall warrior put an end to all conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

Wally awoke freezing cold. It was still mostly dark, but he could see shadows and the figure of a Shawnee, keeping watch. Roy had said his name was Two Moons. He heard an owl's call, the same as the night before. Two Moons answered the signal. More warriors and prisoners walked into camp. The captives were pushed aside and laid down on the cold, wet ground without being told. They looked as if they'd been walking most of the night. Wally tried not to look them in the eye. There was nothing but complete despair written on their faces, and he didn't want to see it. He'd seen enough of it in the last five years. Besides, it just made him feel guilty. His family was safe. He knew Uncle Barry, Aunt Iris, and Bart were scared for him, but he'd get home sooner or later. The only people Wally had to worry about were Robin and Speedy, and they could handle almost anything that was thrown at them. These people had lost their homes, and in some cases their families. They were being taken from everything they knew and taken to an uncertain fate. He didn't pretend to understand how they felt and to be quite honest, he didn't want to.

Two Moons and the incoming warriors started talking in low voices. Wally wished he knew what was being said, but judging by their tones things had gone well for them. Plus, the captives that had just come in were all weighed down with heavy packs. As the sun rose, he caught sight of hair hanging from the belts of most of them. The sight made Wally sick. He had investigated crime scenes, and he never got used to it. It was made worse when the killer took trophies from their victims.

The other Shawnee got up as the sun climbed higher. The rawhide was cut from the captives' ankles, and they were forced on. Roy kept up a somewhat difficult conversation with Big Knife. Dick and Wally walked side by side talking in whispers. With Big Knife distracted they could speak more freely, but either of them wanted to push their luck.

"How far is it to Fort Duquesne?" Wally asked.

"I'm not really sure," Dick said. It would help to know where they were, but there were too many rivers in that area to base their location on that. "Maybe Roy will be able to find out." They were headed West, that was all he could say for certain. If they swung north, it meant they had been near the Monongahela and if they went south, they had been at the Allegheny.

The day was mostly uneventful. A woman nearly dropped her baby, and Dick offered to carry the child for her. Wally took Robin's pack for him, so he could do so. Roy joined them again sometime in the afternoon.

"Big Knife says we should get to the fort sometime tomorrow," Roy told them.

"Great, but then what?" Wally said sarcastically.

"Well, from what I could tell Two Moon's father, Chief Tecumseh, wants another son…." Roy said, letting the sentence hang. He looked at Kid Flash.

"You have got to be joking," Wally choked. Two Moons had been the one to catch him back at the trading post, but that had never translated into what that meant for KF until then. To put it simply, Two Moons owned him, and he didn't like that at all.

"No, but it could be worse. At least he doesn't want to sell you to the French, another tribe or scalp you. Besides you'll be adopted by the Chief. It's considered an honor, plus you'll get better treatment," Roy explained. He knew Wally wouldn't be happy to hear this, but he wished the fifteen-year-old wouldn't overreact. It wasn't that big of a deal.

"The honor is lost on me," Wally snapped. Where did these people get the idea that it was okay to kidnap people and 'adopt' them into their family? Yes, it was a different time and a different culture, but that didn't mean he had to put up with it. He was for taking off then and there. They could get out of there in a few seconds. Who cared if someone saw his superpowers? It wasn't like he had a secret identity to protect, not here anyway.

"Why don't I tell Two Moons that?" Roy snapped right back. "Look you can either get with the program or get killed, so shut up, because I'm not going to explain to Iris and Barry why you're dead." He'd never let things go that far, but he needed Wally to cooperate. This was how things were. It was pretty straight forward.

Wally sighed. "Fine."

"I'm glad you agreed," Roy mocked. Wally gave him a dirty look but didn't comment.

"What did you find out about you and me?" Dick asked, as he tried to hold the baby, who seemed bound and determined that he would be dropped before the day was over. He wouldn't stay still, and he was starting to get on Robin's nerves. The kid had reached up and pulled his hair earlier. That was twice that had happened in the last two days.

"Well, Big Knife caught me and says he lost a son last year in a raid, so I'm his replacement," Roy shrugged. It wasn't a big deal. It didn't matter what happened there as long as they made it home. "And Fire Crow is planning to sell you." He hated saying that out loud.

"To another Shawnee or the French?" Dick asked. He knew Fire Crow didn't like him, and he couldn't blame him.

"One of the Shawnee wants to buy you. He came in this morning with the others." Roy said. "His name is Chiksika. Fire Crow will sell you to him, unless he can get a better price at the fort." He didn't intent to sound heartless, but he had to detach himself from the situation. That was the only way he could deal with the idea of Dick being taken away.

"And are we just going to let that happen?" Wally asked angrily. Robin was their brother, and Roy was acting like it didn't matter if they were split up.

"If it becomes necessary we'll act, but I'd rather avoid that for as long as possible," Roy said in a slightly strained voice. He was done talking about this.

The night passed much the same as the last. They were tied and left to sit on the cold ground with no fire. Sean talked to the three of them for a while, and Roy told him they would most likely get to the fort tomorrow.

"Is that good or bad?" Sean asked.

"Depends on what your idea of bad is. The French or the Shawnee, but I'm sure no matter what happens Speedy here will be glad to stand by and watch," Wally said. He sounded spiteful, and looked at Roy as he spoke.

"Would you let it go? It's not my fault we are here. That's on you," Roy said. He wished he hadn't said that last part, but it was true. Facts were facts, and you couldn't just ignore them when you felt like it.

Wally laid down on the grass and rolled away to face the forest. He knew that. He wasn't an idiot, despite how he acted most of the time. It was just easier not to let people see that stuff got to you. He could be himself around Roy and Dick, and he had no problem letting them know when he was mad at them.

"Speedy?" Sean asked, looking at Roy and Dick for clarification as to what Wally meant.

"It's just my nickname," Roy said. He was going to get Wally back for dropping his code name like that. He explained what he'd learned from Big Knife to Sean.

"At least the French won't burn him alive if he tries to escape," Sean pointed out. They'd probably just shoot him, but at least that would be quick.

"Death is death. It doesn't matter who administers it,"* Dick said.

"Don't say stuff like that," Wally ordered. He threw a small stone at Robin, who ducked and let it fly over his head.

Dick just laughed softly. "Sorry. I'm starting to sound like B." Batman didn't want him to become like him, and Robin had promised his mentor he wouldn't. Occasionally he'd say something that could have come from the Dark Knight, but that was hard not to do when he lived with the man. Plus, he knew how Batman would react to a situation, and he always followed his mentor's lead. They had gotten Big Knife's attention. He didn't look pleased at all, which shut all of them up.

The next morning, they were walking again. They came in sight of Fort Duquesne around two or three in the afternoon. It was smaller than Wally had expected, and when they got inside, it was crowded with settlers, frontiersmen, Native Americans and soldiers. The captives were shoved into an out of the way corner. Some of the Shawnee went to collect on the bounty for scalps, while others went to trade the things they had stolen, and some remained to keep an eye on their prisoners.

Fire Crow led two frontiersmen over to Dick, who sat with his back against the rough log walls of the fort. Chiksika came over when he saw that Fire Crow was going to sell his catch. Dick looked at Roy, silently asking him to let him know what was going on. Speedy nodded his understanding. He was scared to hope that Robin would stay with them.

The talk went back and forth so fast Roy couldn't keep up. From what he got the trappers were looking for someone to help them work their trap line. Chiksika wanted a son. His only child died of sickness a year ago. His wife had nearly died too. The trappers weren't that interested in Dick. They said he was too small and weak. In the end Chiksika brought Dick for three blankets.

Fire Crow was happy to be rid of the child that had caused him so much embarrassment, and Chiksika was clearly satisfied.

"I am Chiksika. I have not picked a name for you yet," the warrior said to Dick in halting English before walking away to pay Fire Crow.

Roy told him the price that was settled on.

Dick laughed. "Well, there goes my pride. I thought I was worth a little more than three blankets." He couldn't possibly care less about the deal that had been made for him, he was just glad he didn't have to worry anymore about being taken away from his brothers in arms.

Things were quiet for a while, but that was soon interrupted when a French settler and his wife came to look at the captives. French was a language that Dick knew so he was able to tell Roy and Wally that they were looking for someone to work on their farm, a few miles from the fort. They saw Wally and within a few minutes had found whom they should speak to. Two Moons wasn't having any of it. He shot down every offer that was made.

Wally nudged Dick. "What are they saying?"

"They're offering two blankets and a rifle for you," Dick said. "That seems a bit much to me."

"Dude," Wally hissed. After what Roy had told him he hadn't thought he was in any danger of being sold off.

"Relax. Just tell them this: Deces au roi France," Dick told him in a whisper.

"Deces au roi France," Wally repeated loudly to the farmer, who turned red with anger. His wife turned white, and they quickly left. Two Moons just seemed glad they were gone and went back to selling what he had taken from the cabins.

"What did I say?" Wally asked. He was surprised at the reaction his words had gotten.

"Death to the king of France," Dick told him.

"That's terrible. Who is the king anyway?" Wally questioned.

"Louis XV," Dick said.

Roy started laughing. He had an idea that he was beginning to get a little hysterical. This was so insane. He wanted to go back to his time and his silly problems, like fighting with Oliver and Artemins over something stupid, deciding what college he was going to go to, how to ask Jade out without her father beating him up or when the Birdman Gang was going try to rob the Star City Bank, not listening to people haggling over Dick and Wally. It was so completely messed up, and he didn't have a clue how to respond to it all.

Most of the captives were traded off. Too many mouths to feed was Roy's guess as to why they did that. Nine remained by the end of the day. He hoped they'd get out of there soon. He'd stopped thinking about the League showing up. He knew they would come, but he couldn't focus on them. He had to pay attention to the here and now. That wouldn't work if he was constantly waiting for Green Arrow to pop up at every moment.

Big Knife came to talk to him as camp fires were being lit here and there in the fort. "We will be leaving this place with the sun comes up," he said, as he gave Roy and the others some dried meat. It was the first thing Roy had had to eat that day. What he wouldn't give for a few of Meagan's burnt cookies?

"How far is it to your village," Roy asked. He hoped that all made sense.

"Two days from here," Big Knife said, shortly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *That's a reference from Batman the Animated Series.
> 
> Sorry if the French is wrong. Blame the internet. I got a question asking if I got this story idea from an episode of Timeless. I've never seen that show. I love early American history and Young Justice, which is how this story got started. Thank you for reading, leaving a kudo or a comment. :)


	4. Chapter 4

They matched out of Fort Duquesne as the sun climbed over the trees. It lit up the Ohio River and pushed the fog back into the forest. The air was chilly, and they had spent yet another night on the cold hard ground. To put it bluntly Wally was sick of this. What was taking the League so long to get here? They were The Justice League; they were kind of expected to show up when the next generation of heroes was in a mess of their own making. None of them would ever admit that, but the whole Team knew it. They didn't need older heroes most of the time, but when they were stuck in the past it fell under League jurisdiction.

The Shawnee had a number of canoes waiting for them on the bank of the river. Everything and everyone was loaded into the long boats. The three heroes managed to end up in the same boat with Big Knife and Tall Bull at the paddles. Dick was glad for a break from walking.

The two warriors were both watching the forest on either side. Were they expecting an attack? Dick had thought they were far enough into the Shawnees' territory to be safe from the English or other tribes. He soon saw Tall Bull and Big Knife relax somewhat. He didn't know whether to take that as a good thing or a bad thing.

They traveled by river for the better part of the day, only stopping two or three times to rest. Dick had paddled a canoe before on a camping trip with Bruce and his brothers, and it had been back breaking work. Plus the sun was beating down on the river, so he was surprised they didn't stop more than that. When the sun started going down, the Shawnee pulled the canoes up onto the shore and made camp, They lit a fire this time. The nights were getting colder. During the day it was too hot, and at night there were the beginnings of frost on the ground and trees.

The warriors sat around their fire talking and laughing. It was quite a different scene on the captives' side of camp. The nine remaining prisoners were mostly silent other than a futile attempt at conversation from Sean or Wally. Each was too preoccupied with their own unpleasant thoughts of the nearing village.

Roy sighed. Tomorrow they would reach the village, and tomorrow they would run the Gauntlet. It was a rite of passage for any male that was to join the tribe. It was dangerous and a good way of getting a hatchet stuck into one's skull. Or if someone did survive but didn't make it to the end, they would be burnt. Why was it always burning? A fire had killed his parents when he was six years old. He'd hated fire from then on. He had investigated a few arson cases over his career as a masked vigilante and the allure of burning down buildings for fun was completely lost to him. Robbery he understood, and murder had a motive, but arson was pointless to him.

"When we get to the village, we're going to run the Gauntlet," Roy said shortly. It was useless to beat around the bush about it, and the others should know what they were headed into. "The men anyway," he added. No sense in freaking the kids and women out when they were safe from that.

"What's that?" Wally asked

"How have you gone fifteen years without learning a thing?" Roy asked in annoyance.

"Talent," Wally said, grinning. He was going to ignore Roy's bad mood. Plus, now that he knew they were going to be able to stay together he wasn't as scared of what might come.

"The Gauntlet is where they make you run through a crowd that has every intention of murdering you before you can get to the other side," Roy told him flatly.

"Are you serious?" Wally choked. Suddenly the fort didn't sound so bad.

"No, I make this stuff up for fun," Roy snapped a little too loudly. One of the Shawnee looked over at them before going back to his food. "Just run through and try not to get hit with anything. And no matter what, do not stop or fall," he ordered.

"How old do you have to be for them to make boys run?" a woman asked. Her son was curled up asleep on the ground next to her. He looked about eight or nine.

"Not sure, but he's safe," Roy told her glancing at her child. He saw instant relief on her face. "They'll probably make Dick run, but that's pushing it." He looked at Robin wishing he was a little younger. There was a very high chance one of them would get hurt badly, but they had beat the odds before. He hadn't thought he'd make it to seventeen, but he had. Kid Flash had been hit by lightning. Robin was still alive, which was impressive considering he worked and lived in Gotham, the worst cesspool in the U.S.

Dick could see the worry in Roy's face. Speedy wasn't as good at hiding his emotions as he liked to believe. "I'll be fine. Remember when we were on the docks and those arms dealers were trying to kill us? We took them out in no time. Seriously whelming," he said smiling. He spoke in a low tone, so the others wouldn't hear him.

"Yeah, but they didn't see you, KF, or Aqualad coming. You'll be in the open with everyone just waiting to take a hit at you," Roy answered. He didn't like to think of that mission. He'd been mean and rude to his friends. He sometimes wondered why they put up with him. He wasn't the nicest of people.

"And we've fought battles where the bad guys saw us coming," Robin shrugged.

"Only difference is you can't really fight back. You stop to deal with one person and six more will attack. You can't fight a mob single handed," Roy pointed out.

"Would you relax? We'll be fine. We always have been before, so we will be this time" Dick said. He knew that logic was horribly flawed, but there was no sense in worrying about what hadn't even happened yet and what they couldn't control.

"That sounded like something Wally would say when he knows we're getting into a mess," Roy laughed, humorlessly.

"Would you prefer a Batman version?" Dick teased. "Get it together! We have work to do," he said in an overly dramatic and gravelly voice.

Roy smiled. It was a convincing imitation of his uncle, but Batman would never talk to one of them like that, especially not Robin. "Alright 'Dark Knight'. You should probably get some rest. I'm sure we'll be up at a ridiculous hour."

"It's not that bad," Dick said, shrugging.

"That's rich coming from the kid who never sleeps," Roy muttered.

"Yeah, Bruce and Alfred keep hoping I'll start sleeping instead of waking them up at five or six every morning," Dick said, finding a place on the ground that wasn't completely covered with rocks. They would get through this. Giving up wasn't an option, and when it came down to it angry Shawnee were definitely a lot less deadly than an angry Joker.

The next morning, they were up early again. Wally wouldn't have gotten up for anything, but the earth was cold, and he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He and the others dragged themselves down to the shore and for the second time climbed into the canoes. He was actually glad when it started to warm up.

Dick could tell when they were getting closer to the village. The Shawnee carried themselves differently. They were more at ease and were becoming excited about returning home with so much plunder.

He heard a robin singing in the trees by the river and out of boredom he answered it. The bird came flying from its perch and landed on the canoe. He was glad to see the bird. That had been his mother's favorite kind of bird. She had loved bright colors and their trailer had been covered with cheerful colors. Dick repeated his namesake's song. The animal tilted its head to one side before flying away.

Chiksika paddled his canoe up beside Big Knife's and Tall Bull's. "I have found a name for you, my son." Dick was a little surprised at the sudden announcement. "Little Bird." Robin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That was Bruce's name for him when he was upset. No one else called him that, and he didn't really like the idea of someone calling him that.

The sun was starting to go done when they reached the village. Everyone ran to meet the warriors and celebrate their success. Dick was sure he'd get trampled, but Chiksika pushed some of his people out of the way. They were led into the clearing with shouting and dogs barking.

Near the largest building in the village the chief and elders stood. The chief made a gesture and the Shawnee formed two lines on either side leading up to the council house, which was nearer the far side of the village than the river. They were yelling and waving hatchets, knifes and clubs. Even the children were there, ready to throw rocks or anything else they could find. In the half light of the large fires it was a terrifying sight.

"So, this is the Gauntlet," Wally said. Well, they had faced worse, but most of the time that had made sense. This was violence for the sack of violence or maybe there was more to it. He'd ask Roy later, if they both still had their heads attached later.

"Just run," Roy ordered, under his breath. It was hard to hear over the din.

Speedy was up first. Dick watched as his friend took off through the crowd. He ducked and dodged everything that came his way, which only made the Shawnee yell louder and try to attack him more. It was about a minute before Roy reached the council house and safety. The Gauntlet was over for him.

Wally was next. He didn't care if all the village saw was a blur of deerskin, he wasn't dying here just so they wouldn't see his super speed. When it came to his life or his secret, his secret would be the first to go. He took off at an amazing speed and reached the council house faster than Roy had. Someone had gotten lucky and hit him with a small rock to the head, but other than that he was unhurt. He looked back through the mob to see Dick smiling at him.

This wasn't good. The crowd had waited more action than this, and Robin could read it on their faces. They had no intention of letting him through in one piece or anyone that came after him.

Dick turned to Sean and the others that had to run and handed them the smoke pellets. "Throw this on the ground before you start. It should give you a better chance."

Without warning Robin turned and rushed through the throng. One man swung at him with a hatchet, like it was a baseball bat. Dick dropped into a somersault letting the weapon slide over his head. He came up fast and sprang off the ground. He used the shoulders of a warrior as a spring board and flipping the last few feet of the race, he landed gracefully on the roof of the council house. He laughed at the shocked looks on the peoples' faces.

Robin dropped down to the ground near Wally and Roy to watch the others run the Gauntlet. The next man to go didn't get more than a few yards before he was knocked down by a club. Blood was gushing from the wound in his head. The club was raised again and came down with a sickening thud. Dick turned away as the man's body was dragged away. Why hadn't he used the smoke pellets? He might have made it.

Sean was up next. He started off. Dick saw him throw the pellets to the dirt. In seconds the air was filled with smoke. There were a few cries of surprise from the Shawnee, and the distraction gave Sean enough time to reach the council house unharmed.

"What were those things?" Sean asked, breathing hard.

"Something my guardian gave me," Dick answered. He couldn't get the image of the man's cracked and bloody head out of his mind. He tried to picture Batman sitting in front of the large Batcomputer. The sight of his dad working had never failed to made him feel safe and as if things could go on as they were forever. Bruce would always be Batman and Robin would always be there to back him up.

The Gauntlet was over and with it the anger in the crowd seemed to vanish behind the shadows of the forest. The fires were built up higher and food was brought out. The Shawnee ate and danced late into the night. Through all the commotion Dick managed to remain close to Wally and Roy. They were lucky to have stayed together this far.

Dick's eyelids were heavy when Chiksika led him to a large wigwam sometime later. The warrior pulled the animal skin door aside and walked in. Dick followed without a ward. A woman was inside, shaking out a blanket. She laid it on a bed, low to the ground. She looked up when Robin and Chiksika came in. Her eyes were sad, but her face brightened when she saw her husband.

"I have brought you a child, Black Shawl," Chiksika said, pushing Dick forward a little. "I have called him 'Little Bird'."

Black Shawl walked up to Dick and held him at arm's length. Her eyes were searching his. She smiled at him suddenly and led him over to the bed she'd just been making. Dick lay down and was asleep in minutes.

Black Shawl turned back to her husband. "Thank you," she said, happily.


	5. Chapter 5

Wally stared at the wigwam's roof. His new 'family' was still asleep. He'd met them last night. There was Tecumseh, the chief, his wife, Star Walker, their two daughters, Pine Lead and Bowdash and their son Two Moons.

He was tired, but Wally didn't dare fall asleep. KF had heard Sean and a few other captives talking last night. They were planning to escape. Wally wanted no part of it. He knew what would happen to people who tried to get away and failed. He knew his rescue was on the way, but if he hadn't known that, he probably would have taken off the first chance he got.

Wally rolled onto his side when he heard Star Walker and her daughters getting up. There was work that had to be done, and they needed an early start. He heard Two Moons and Tecumseh get up later, but he didn't really want to get up. He felt so isolated, listening to people talk and not being able to understand them. He wondered if Dick and Roy were awake yet, and if he'd get to see them soon. Would the Shawnee prevent them from hanging out?

Two Moons walked over to Wally's bed and shook his shoulder. Wally half growled at the older boy and rolled onto his face. Two Moons laughed at his little brother. His laugh was cut short suddenly. It took Wally all of three seconds to realize that the warrior could see the scars on the back of his neck that were caused by the lightning that had helped give him his powers.

The scars were called 'Lichtenburg figures'. They started at the end of Wally's hairline and ran all over his back. It looked like a lightning bolt was in his skin. He went out of his way to hide the scars. Wally hated the looks people would give him when they saw the scars, like there was something wrong with him. Or the pity that was almost as bad as the disgust.

Wally say upright and put his back to the side of the wigwam. Two Moons spoke rapidly to his family. Tecumseh said something to Pine Leaf, who left and returned moments later with Chiksika. The chief and the warrior talked for several minutes, before Chiksika looked down at Wally, who hadn't moved.

"Your brother saw odd scars on you. Chief Tecumseh wants to know who had hurt you," Chiksika explained, carefully.

Wally got to his feet. "No one hurt me. I was hit by lightning five years ago." He pulled his deerskin shirt up and showed them all his scars. Wally hated this more than he could say, but if he caused a problem over this he might get on Tecumseh's bad side.

Chiksika told the chief and the others what Wally had said. The speedster turned around to look at the Shawnee. To his surprise, they didn't look sickened or repulsed. They looked impressed. Well, that was a reaction he didn't usually get.

Tecumseh stepped up to Wally and placed a hand on his shoulder. The chief spoke rapidly.  
"Tecumseh says 'Two Moons picked well for his brother. You must be very strong to have lived. Your name is 'Sky Fox'."

Wally nodded. He wondered if the Fox part was for his hair. The Shawnee seemed to like the color. Chiksika saw that he was no longer needed and left. Star Walker and Bowdash got some food ready, and the six of them sat down around the small fire to eat.

Roy sat on the bank of the river. He knew Big Knife was watching him. He was still a prisoner even though in the eyes of everyone there, he was now a member of the Shawnee tribe. Big Knife, his wife Running Deer, their daughter, Beaver Girl and Running Deer's parents, Wind Talker and Black Hood all lived in a wigwam.

Roy had been given the name 'Red Cloud'*. They had picked it because of his auburn hair, and because he frowned a lot, but what did they expect? He was a captive, not their son, brother or grandson. He didn't understand why Big Knife had decided to adopt him. Sure, the warrior had been the one to catch him in the barn, but he could have easily traded him off or killed him.

Big Knife came down to the shore.

"Come," the warrior ordered shortly.

Roy got to his feet and followed Big Knife back to the wigwam. The man went inside, while Speedy waited outside. The young hero tried not to look at the scalps that were hanging on the side of the wigwam. Those had been on people. Living, breathing people who hadn't known what was going to happen. War and death seemed to be there waiting for Roy everywhere he went. If it wasn't someone he cared about, it was a civilian he couldn't save.

Big Knife reappeared with a bow and a quiver of arrows. He led Roy a short way from the village. As they walked the warrior handed the weapon to Roy. It wasn't long before they came in sight of a flock of turkeys.

"How many do you want me to hit?" Roy asked in a whisper as he fitted an arrow to the bow. He slowly pulled back the string. He hadn't raised the bow yet.

"As many as you can," Big Knife answered. He had seen Red Cloud looking at the bow during the morning meal. He suspected his son could use the weapon, but he doubted Roy could get more than one or two turkeys.

Suddenly a squirrel dashed near the birds, startling them. They rose into the air. Roy loosed the arrow, and then caught up more from the quiver. By the time the flock had disappeared, seven large birds remained on the ground.

"Very good, my son." Big Knife beamed with pride. "Come, we'll tell the women where to find your kill. Your mother will be pleased when she hears of your aim." The warrior turned back to the village.

They walked in silence until Roy spoke. "Why didn't you kill me?" he asked. It would be a long time before he could sleep without the appearance of the tall figure of Big Knife coming at him with a raised hatchet.

Big Knife was quiet, thinking over the question. "I was going to scalp you, but I saw in your eyes the same fire and will to live that was in my son's as he lay dying. You would have killed me had I tried to kill you. Now I have a question. Why did you not fight as hard as you could have?" He'd seen that Red Cloud was holding back when he'd been captured. It had troubled him the whole journey back to the village.

"The other two boys who were captured with me are like brothers to me. I could not leave them behind," Roy explained. Dick and Wally wouldn't kill anyone, but Speedy would have had he thought they were in mortal danger. That was breaking every code of justice his mentor had instilled in him, but Roy wouldn't give up the lives of his family for a code. "Also, their white parents would have my head for leaving them."

Big Knife looked a little surprised. "I believed you had no families. There was no one in the house."

James and Blue Corn must have gotten away. Roy had been afraid they were in the burned down trading post, despite what Sean had said about Blue Corn's sister.  
"I was adopted by a white man and his wife when I was twelve," Roy answered. He had been such a brat then. Well, he was a grouchy brat now so not much had changed. He wondered why Oliver and Dinah had put up with him for almost six years.

"What of Sky Fox and Little Bird?"

Sky Fox must be Wally. Roy had heard Chiksika call Dick 'Little Bird'.

"Little Bird's parents were killed. A good man gave him a home. Sky Fox's mother left and his father killed a man. He lives with his father's sister and her husband,"** Roy told the warrior. He knew Dick and Wally wouldn't like him going into their pasts, but he wasn't going to not answer Big Knife. That would not be a good idea at all. He just had to play this son role until Oliver showed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red Cloud was a Sioux warrior. I picked that name for Roy and didn't want to change it. **That is from my story 'Running Home'. Check it out if you want to read Wally's full back story. I had so much fun writing that one.
> 
> I hope you are all enjoying the story.


	6. Chapter 6

Dick sat straight up in bed. He almost cried out, but stopped himself. He glanced around. No one was in the wigwam and judging from the light stealing in from the mostly covered door it was about nine or ten in the morning.

Suddenly the deerskin was pulled aside. Dick instantly got to his feet. It was Chiksika. He didn't think the warrior would hurt him, but he knew better than to assume anything about anyone. It just put him in danger to do so.

"Morning, my son. You have slept late," Chiksika said. He had wanted to wake Little Bird some time ago, but Black Shawl had insisted he let their son sleep. It had been a long journey after all, and the Gauntlet had been a frightening experience.

"Sorry," Dick said, watching for any signs of annoyance or anger. He didn't like feeling cornered and Chiksika was standing in front of the only exit. It put him on edge not having a clear way out.

Chiksika couldn't help but realize this was the first time Little Bird had spoken to him. Was his child afraid of him? Chiksika didn't see any reason for this. He hadn't been there when Little Bird was taken. He saw Little Bird's blue eyes stray to the back wall where scalps were hung to dry. That must be it. Chiksika couldn't blame Little Bird for fearing him. They were a gruesome sight. Combine that with the Gauntlet and Little Bird must think he was surrounded by monsters.

Chiksika waved his hand. "You were tired. Are you hungry?"

Dick shook his head. He'd eaten last night. It drove Alfred crazy how little he ate when he was upset, but honestly, who could eat with human hair and skin hanging from the wall. It was sickening.

"I wish to show you your home," Chiksika said, opening the animal skin door. Sun light flooded in. He motioned for Dick to follow him. He hoped he had used the right wards.

The warrior led Robin around the village. He hadn't gotten a good idea of the place last night. It was spread out over a large clearing near the river. The Shawnee children seemed curious, but shy. The women watched him as he and Chiksika passed them as they worked. Dick saw Black Shawl laughing and talking as she worked with the others.

"She has not been happy since the death of our child," Chiksika said, following Little Bird's gaze. "Soon maybe the pain will not be so sharp."

"But it will never go away," Dick said, turning to look at the trees that were reaching for the deep blue sky. Clouds were building. It was going to rain later that day.

"Did my people take someone from you?" Chiksika asked. Little Bird understood what it meant to lose someone. He could tell by the way his son had spoken.

"Not your people," Dick answered.

They got to the end of the village where some kids around Dick's age were playing a game like hockey, only without the ice, and a ball instead of a puck. Dick watched for a few minutes before two kids came up to him. One of them held out a long slightly curved stick to him, clearly asking if he wanted to play, too. Dick looked at Chiksika, who nodded. He joined the game, quickly picking up the goal.

The other team learned not to underestimate him. Dick used his gymnastic skills to outmaneuver the others. Chiksika was shocked at the flips and backhand springs Little Bird was pulling off with ease. The kids found Sky Fox and Red Could and got them to join the game as well. The warrior watched his son and the others play. Chiksika quickly noticed that while the three captives were careful not to harm any Shawnee kids, they clearly weren't worried about hurting each other.

Sky Fox swung at the ball. He got it, however he nearly hit Little Bird over the head in the process. He would have, but the younger boy merely threw his head back at the last second, dodging the blow. That was just one example of many moments that Chiksika braced himself for the sickening sound of someone being hit.

The game ended sometime later. Chiksika had to go out with the hunting party, but he didn't want to leave the village. He knew some of the captives would try to escape; some always did. He wasn't going to lose another child, not to sickness, the whites, or in this case, most likely the fire.

Dick walked back to Chiksika, Wally and Roy at his side. He hadn't thought the warrior would stick around. He was probably making sure Dick didn't take the first opportunity and run away.

Chiksika saw the change that had come over Little Bird in just the short while of being around the other two captives. He was smiling and walked with his head held high.

"You played well," Chiksika said. He waited to see if Little Bird's demeanor changed at all. He was determined his son would learn not to fear him.

"Thank you," Dick said shortly. He could tell the warrior was trying to read him, but to what end he didn't know. If Robin was honest with himself, he was terrified of Chiksika and the scalps that hung on the wigwam's wall. Dick was trying to not to show it, but he was sure the Shawnee warrior could see it. His life depended on Black Shawl and Chiksika liking him.

"Your friends do not seem to care if you were hurt," Chiksika said, giving Sky Fox and Red Cloud a very displeased look. Little Bird was so much smaller than they were. They should be watching out for him, and not almost smacking him upside the head.

"They expect me to watch out," Dick shrugged. "And the same goes for them. If they don't move, it's their own fault." He would feel bad, of course, but if Kid Flash and Speedy couldn't dodge a stick wheeled by a kid, they had no right to be out on the streets where bullets were flying.

Chiksika shrugged at the comment, seeing the sense in it. He had always thought English children were quiet, weak, and cried a lot. This sudden reversal after seeing so many white children over the years was odd. It also troubled him. Little Bird was bold and smart. That was dangerous for a captive. Chiksika would be watching his son closely. He hoped soon he would see signs that Little Bird was accepting his family and life.

"I have to go. Stay in the village," Chiksika ordered as he walked away.

Wally glanced around. They were alone save for some younger children, who were too far away to hear them. "Sean told me last night that he and a few of the others are going to try to escape soon. He wants to know if we want to come too," he told them in a whisper.

"No," Roy snapped, trying to keep his voice low. He wasn't taking a chance on them being over heard. "We're waiting for the League." He was usually pretty serious, but he sounded livid now.

"I was just passing on the word. Don't kill the massager," Wally said raising his hands in mock surrender.

"I know," Roy sighed. "Just don't talk about it. The less trouble we get into the better." He tried to change the subject. "Big Knife let me use his bow this morning. I shot a few turkeys."

"Fitting in already?" Wally smirked.

"You're one to talk. Tecumseh and Star Walker won't stop talking about how great you are," Roy half laughed. Star Walker had gone to give Running Deer some of the meat Red Cloud shot and dragged Roy along. He'd had to sit through the two women gushing over their new children for almost an hour.

"Really. What did they say?" Wally asked, now curious. Two Moons had been showing him around the village, so he had missed Running Deer and Roy's visit.

"Just how strong and brave you must be, and how you'll make a great Shawnee warrior someday," Speedy answered. There had been a lot more, but he had stopped listening.

"Yeah, I think not," Wally frowned. He would never destroy other peoples' lives like the settlers' lives had been destroyed.

"Well, you won't have to get too comfortable," Dick said. "The League will be here soon." That was the only thought that kept him from running off. He hoped Sean and the others would get away safely


	7. Chapter 7

Bruce looked around at the forest that he'd landed in. Was Robin close? He and the others would have known to stay close to where they'd come out of the portal, but they couldn't very well sit in the woods waiting to be rescued. He pulled out his radiation detector and began to follow the trail. Oliver and Barry came after him, looking for any sign of their kids.

It wasn't long before they came to the burned down rubble of a cabin and a barn. Batman's scanner went off as they got near what had been the barn. Pure horror rose up in Bruce. Oliver went white and Barry began tearing through the debris, calling for his nephew. Batman followed the scanner as it got louder indicating the spot. It was a few feet away from the barn.

"A-are they buried there?" Barry choked.

Bruce didn't answer. He willed himself to go numb. He couldn't allow himself to lose it. He started digging. "Help me," he ordered. Hadn't he lost enough? Why his son, too? The little joy that came running to him when he got home to ask him how his day was. Dick's laugh that was musical and brought light into the Manor. He was never going to hear it again.

Flash and Green Arrow started digging. No one spoke. No one could bring themselves to say a word.

Bruce's finger caught onto a piece of blue fabric, dragging it part way out of the dirt. He almost screamed. It was Dick's shirt. He'd been wearing it the day they went to the Watch Tower. He started digging again. Within a few minutes, they'd uncovered cloth and gear. No bodies. Where was Dick's body?

Bruce brushed dirt from the bright yellow belt. A thought struck him suddenly. He started checking each of the belt's pouches.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked. He was looking at his nephew's clothes for any signs of blood. He had to know what had happened. Oliver had sat down in the ashes, holding Roy's t-shirt. He looked as if he was in shock.

"If they were trying to hide that they didn't belong here they would have gotten rid of anything that didn't look right," Bruce answered. "Dick wouldn't leave himself completely unprotected. He would have taken some of his equipment. Something small and easy to carry. He, Alfred and I are the only ones who know how to open our belts, so no one could have taken anything from it."

"You think they're alive?" Oliver asked. Hope had sprung up in him. Bruce was almost never wrong, and if he thought the boys were alive there was a good chance they were.

"There's no blood on their clothes, and they wouldn't have gone down without a fight," Batman said. He was forcing himself to change gears. "I think they may be alive."

Suddenly they heard the sound of people approaching. It was a man and a woman. Both looked downcast as they surveyed the destruction.

"Who are you?" the man asked when he saw the three men standing in what had been his barn.

"I'm Bruce, and this is Oliver and Barry," Bruce answered. He wasn't giving out his last name. His ancestors had lived in this colony, and he wasn't risking any connection.

The man introduced himself as James Newman and his wife, Blue Corn.

"We're looking for our sons." Bruce said watching for a reaction, and he got it.

"Dick, Roy and Wally?" Blue Corn asked.

"Yes," Oliver said, getting to his feet. "Do you know where they are?"

"No, but they were here. They came looking for shelter the night before the Shawnee attacked," Newman answered. "I put them up in the barn. My wife and I had to go across the river, and when we got back they were gone and everything was burned down. I thought they were killed in the barn, but I couldn't find any bodies so we figured the Shawnee had taken them. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this."

"At least they're alive," Barry sighed. He couldn't go home, not without Wally

"Do you know where the might have been taken?" Oliver asked.

"Either a Shawnee village, or they got sold to the French," Newman told them.

"Thank you for your help," Bruce said shortly. The nearest fort was Fort Duquesne, so that was where they were headed. He turned to go.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Newman asked

"To Fort Duquesne and after that to any Shawnee village where they could be," Barry answered, as he stuffed Wally's things into his pack. He knew what Bruce was planning.

"But that's French territory. You'll be killed," Newman pointed out.

"If it was your child would you do any different?" Oliver asked. They turned and walked into the forest. The radiation trail was faint but still there.

"Can you both speak French?" Bruce asked. He felt drained after the fear of moments ago.

"Nope," Barry said. He'd barely passed Spanish when he was in high school.

"I can," Oliver answered.

"When we get to the fort let us do the talking," Batman ordered. He was fairly confident they could pass themselves off as French trappers if Barry didn't say a word.

"Think they'll be there?" Barry asked.

"Maybe," Bruce said shortly. He wasn't going to allow himself to hope it would be that easy, but he was going to get his son back no matter what.

Roy was sitting outside Big Knife's wigwam, trying to make a bow and arrows of his own. He'd been thinking about what Wally had told him the day before. Maybe they should go. The League would still find them.

He was sharpening an arrow head when Big Knife walked up to him.

"Did you leave the village?" the warrior asked. His tone was angry.

"I did," Roy answered, without looking at Big Knife. He had left the village that morning, looking for materials for his bow and arrows. He wasn't allowed to leave alone. Big Knife had made that very clear.

"I told you not to leave," Big Knife said. He was trying to keep his temper under control. Why would Red Cloud deliberately disobey him? Running Deer came out of the wigwam when she heard her husband's slightly raised voice.

"Why should I listen?" Roy asked. He'd always pushed the boundaries, and this situation was no different.

"Do not speak to your father so," Running Deer ordered.

"My father is dead. He burned to death trying to save lives," Roy snapped, getting to his feet. "How can you act like I'm your son? Your son is dead." He hadn't meant to say that. It just came out, and now he regretted it.

"You are my son just as he was," Big Knife said, slowly. He wasn't going to lose his temper. "I will tell you this once. Never speak to your mother or me in such a manner again."

"Or what? The worst you can do is kill me," Roy challenged.

Without warning Big Knife struck Roy so hard across the face he fell back to the ground.

Speedy just smirked. "I thought only whites beat their children. I guess we're not all that different." The early tribes didn't usually hit their kids, a fact they didn't like about the settlers.

Big Knife had had enough. He pulled Roy up by his hair and dragged him down to the river. He pushed his head into the water a few times before hauling him back to the wigwam. Roy was spluttering and coughing.

"Apologize to your mother for your behavior," Big Knife ordered. He half shoved Red Cloud onto the ground next to the fire Running Deer had built.

"I am sorry," Roy said still choking on the water he'd inhaled.

Running Deer nodded. She didn't like to see anyone in pain. The three of them sat in silence for sometime.

"I guess you know why the Navajo did not want me," Roy said, looking into the fire. Well, it hadn't taken long for him to mess this up.

"I have an idea. Maybe I should have named you Big Mouth," Big Knife said, a note of humor in his voice. He could understand Red Cloud's anger. He was still adjusting. All that was needed was a little time.

Roy laughed at that. Wally would never let him hear the end of this if he ever found out.

Dick woke in the middle of the night to battle cries and dogs barking. Black Shawl started up the fire. Chiksika was gone along with his weapons. Robin instantly guessed what had happened. One or more of the captives were trying to escape. He had been thinking the word 'escape' so often it was starting to lose its meaning. Black Shawl seemed frightened. She kept looking at him as if to make sure he was really still there.

There was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep knowing what was going on, so he got up and sat near the fire across from Black Shawl.

"Are you…well?" she asked. Her English was slow, and she spoke with some difficultly.

Dick nodded. He was going to say something when Chiksika stormed into the wigwam. He just about threw his weapons to their place by the back wall.

Black Shawl jumped to her feet. "What has happened?" she asked.

Dick moved out of the fire's light. He wished he understood what they were saying. Robin was trained to know what was going on around him and be ready to act based on that. He couldn't act if he didn't know what was going on. He felt like he was looking in on a situation, as if he wasn't a part of his own life. He was used to being in control, and this was very far from controlled.

"Two captives tried to leave. They will burn in the morning," the warrior said. They hadn't gotten far. Why did the captives do this? Well, he knew why, but it still angered him. He didn't want them to be killed, but that was how things were. That was how it had to be.

Black Shawl glanced at Little Bird. "He is already terrified of us. What will he think of us if Tecumseh demands he watch?"

"I haven spoken to the Chief. He does not wish Shy Fox to watch, so he will not force Little Bird or Red Cloud to watch," Chiksika said. He was calmer now.

"Than what is troubling you?"

"Tecumseh has ordered that all white captives be tied up at night and not to be allowed to walk about the village alone." Chiksika was not happy with the chief's decision, but it was better than Little Bird being killed. Tecumseh felt the same way. They had just gotten their children; they weren't going to lose them.

"He is our son, not a captive," Black Shawl said. She didn't want Little Bird tied up. He'd think that he'd done something wrong.

"I do not think he would agree with that," Chiksika said, flatly. Why did things have to be so difficult? Why did his child have to die? He didn't have an answer for either of these questions.

"How can you say that? He is your son," Black Shawl said, her voice rising slightly.

"I know he is and you know he is, but he is still a prisoner in his own mind. As long as he has that mind set he must be treated like a captive," Chiksika said, gently. He didn't want to upset his wife. She still wasn't completely well. "Do not worry. I will explain what has happened, and he will understand why I am doing this."

Dick was almost entirely hidden in the shadows. Black Shawl wasn't happy, and Chiksika was mad. Angry people were dangerous people. He knew better than to put himself in the line of fire.

"Come here," the warrior ordered. He didn't sound too angry, just tired and overwhelmed. Dick walked out of the shadows, watching for any signs that he should fight or take off. "Two captives tried to escape. They will be killed tomorrow." Robin felt sick at that image. He had seen people who had died from burning. It was horrible. "I cannot allow this to happen to you. Swear to me you will not try to escape." Chiksika said seriously. He took hold of Dick's arm in a tight grip as if he might take off that very moment.

Dick just nodded. He had no intention of making such a promise and given the situation he doubted the warrior would take his word. He knew what this would mean for him and the others. They would be watched even closer and any chance of escaping would be at a greater risk.

Robin went and sat down on the edge of his bed. He didn't move as Chiksika tied his wrists and then his ankles together. He didn't go back to sleep, as he had thought when he'd first awakened. Would he and the others be forced to watch? He couldn't stand the whole thing. How could Chiksika and the other Shawnee act like they cared about their captives and then murder them? One thing was for sure. Dick would not stand by and let someone die, not while he could do something to stop it.


	8. Chapter 8

Wally hadn't heard the commotion in the night, so he was surprised in the morning when Two Moons tied him to a beam in the wigwam. He didn't bother trying to ask what was going on for a few reasons. First of all, Two Moons wouldn't understand him, and second, he had an idea of what the situation was. Either Sean and whoever had gone with him had escaped, and the Shawnee didn't want anyone else to try it. Or they had failed.

Pine Leaf, Bowdash, and their mother went out of the wigwam after Two Moons and Tecumseh had gone out. Wally was left pulling at the rawhide, trying to get free. All he was doing was making his wrists raw and sore. He finally gave up. What was the point anyway? He wouldn't be able to do anything. Suddenly the deerskin was pulled aside, and Speedy and Robin slipped in like two criminals. Roy was carrying three light packs.

"What are you two doing here?" Wally asked. He automatically dropped his voice. They clearly weren't supposed to be there.

"We're going to get Sean out of here before he's killed," Dick answered, as he untied Kid Flash. Roy stood by the doorway, keeping watch.

"And how are we going to do that without getting in trouble?" Wally asked as he stood up, rubbing his wrists.

"Already have it all figured out," Roy said. They snuck out of the wigwam without being seen.

"Want to let me in on the plan?" Wally questioned.

"Ssshh," Robin ordered. They moved through the village, unseen. When they reached the council house Dick climbed up onto the roof and checked to see if anyone was inside by looking through the hole in the roof for the smoke to rise out of. "Clear," he called softly.

Speedy and Kid Flash ducked inside. Robin followed a moment later. Sean and another captive, Heidi, were tied to a support beam in the council house. They both looked scared, but determined to face what was before them.

"What are you three doing here?" Sean snapped. "You're going to get yourselves killed."

"Like you've been doing much better for yourself," Dick smiled.

"We're getting you out of here, and we're coming too," Roy said, pulling out a knife. He cut the two free. Their escape hadn't been part of the plan when Dick slipped away from Black Shawl and Chiksika and come to free Speedy, but plans change as the situation does. That's what Batman said anyway.

"We are?" Wally asked. This was news to him.

"We are and maybe we'll make it into English territory," Roy answered. He looked cautiously out of the council house. "Let's go," he ordered.

The five of them slipped out of the council house and into the woods, unseen. That is where the endless running began.

"Think they know we're gone yet?" Wally asked, ducking under a branch.

"Probably," Dick answered. He was glad they were going. Chiksika and Black Shawl were nice and all, but his family was waiting for him. He knew Bruce would be in a panic when he found them. The last time Robin had gone missing was in Bialya, and that was for about twelve hours. Batman had just about refused to let him out of the Batcave for a month. Bruce tended to show he cared by being very protective, which was understandable.

"Do you know where we're going?" Heidi asked. She hadn't expected to leave the village again, not after she and Sean had been recaptured in the middle of the night. They hadn't made it very far at all.

"East," Wally said, shortly. He got the feeling Roy and Dick had put more thought into this plan in the five minutes they had talked than Heidi and Sean had in two or three days. Could they even tell in what direction they were headed? If that was the case, this was going to be nothing but babysitting until they made it across British lines.

"What changed your minds?" Sean asked. He had fully expected to be killed.

"We couldn't let you two be killed," Dick answered. They lapsed into silence as they sprinted through the forest. It would take maybe four or five days of this to get to safety, and then there was always the danger of recapture. Robin was sure he, KF and Speedy could get away with no problem, but Sean and Heidi would slow them down. They were the reason he and Roy had decided to escape in the first place. A little more time to prepare would have been useful, though.

They didn't stop for more than a few minutes all day. Night time was their best chance to put some distance between themselves and the Shawnee, so they didn't stop then either.

"How much farther are we going to go?" Sean asked sometime the next day. This had been easier going by canoe.

"When we're out of Shawnee territory," Roy answered.

"And how will we know when that is?" Wally questioned.

"When we're back home," Roy answered.

"That means we're walking all night again, doesn't it," Wally sighed.

"Could be worse," Dick said. He was starting to have a little trouble thinking straight. He hadn't gotten any rest for about two and a half days.

"How so?" Wally asked. He'd always noticed that when Dick got tired, he'd get all philosophical or talk about the most random topic. There was no way he wasn't exhausted after walking all day and night. It was amusing and at the moment the only form of entertainment available.

"We could have been recaptured, but then 'every bondman in his own hands bears the power to cancel his captivity'," Dick told him as they trudged on.

"Shakespeare?" KF asked. He had taken English literature. Unfortunately, it always made him fall asleep, which didn't sound too bad just then.

"Yep, but which play?" Robin said. The sunrise was painting the sky beautiful pinks, oranges and yellows.

"Hamlet," Wally guessed.

"That's 'To be or not to be'."

"Macbeth?" Roy tried. Anything to get the time to pass, right?

"And that's 'Out, out brief candle. Life's but a walking shadow.' Don't say Romeo and Juliet. Come on guys, this is one of his really famous plays," Dick said

"They're all really famous," Wally huffed.

"Julius Caesar," Roy said finally. The only other play he could remember was 'The Tempest' and that wasn't near as famous as some of the others. He didn't think it was anyway. People didn't seem to talk about it as much.

"That's the one," Dick smiled.

"Have you all read Shakespeare's plays?" Heidi asked. Books were hard to get that far west. She'd only seen two or three books in all her twenty years.

"Dick and Roy have," Wally answered. "I was never really interested." He could tell her exactly how to build an EMP or how to put a car engine together, but he doubted this information would be of any interest to her considering they were in was the 1700s. Wow, he really needed a week off from all the craziness after they got back.

"How were you captured?" Heidi asked.

Wally quickly explained their capture. Heidi had been with the second group of prisoners and hadn't spoken to any of the others for most of their unwanted trip.

"You left out the part where this was your fault," Roy said. What he wouldn't give for warm food, a hot shower and a soft bed? But no. He got dried meat, running, and rocks in his moccasins.

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?" Wally sighed.

"Not a chance," Dick smiled.

They jogged through the woods most of that day and the next. The land was beautiful and each morning as the sun rose, it pushed the fog into the shadows of the forest.

"This would be kind of fun if we weren't running for our lives," Wally commented on the third or fourth day. Honestly, he'd lost track of how long they'd been running, and he didn't have a clue as to how long they'd been trapped in the past.

"It would," Dick said. Life and death situations tended to take the enjoyment out of everything, unless it was beating up criminals. The five of them had stopped to rest for a few hours. He and Wally had gotten up to find some food. Their supply of dried meat was getting low, not to mention they were all sick of it, but it was better than nothing. "We should get Barry, Oliver and Bruce to take us all camping when we get back."

"That's assuming they ever let us out of the house again," Wally added. "Are you sure it's okay to eat these mushrooms?" he asked, looking down at the fungi Dick had been excited to find. They were always told not to eat wild mushrooms.

"Smell it," Dick ordered, handing one to him. Wally almost gaged on the thing. "What does it smell like to you?"

"A dead fish. Now I know it's poisonous," Wally said. He didn't often turn his nose up at food, but this couldn't be classified as food.

"I suppose you'd rather eat the kind that smells like a rose? That's one of the poisonous kinds," Dick huffed. "Listen, I've spent years training under the most paranoid man in the world. Part of that training was learning how to survive in the wild, which turned out to be very helpful considering this mess. I wouldn't eat something unless I knew it was safe, and there's no way I'd give it to you or Roy."

"Fine, but I still think it smells like a dead fish," Wally told him, flatly.

"That's one of the ways of identifying this type of mushroom," Dick explained. "The other kind just kills you after a very painful thirty-six hours or so."

Suddenly they heard leaves crunching and sticks snapping under a person's boots. The feet were coming from the opposite direction from where the two heroes had left Roy and the others.

"Hide," Dick hissed. The last time he'd expected the team to follow his lead and disappear into the forest it had been an absolute disaster, heavy on the dis. It had been a jungle that time, but the same idea still stood. He climbed up a pine tree, while Wally found a large hole inside of a dead tree to conceal himself in. Both were armed with knives Roy had taken from Big Knife. Turns out the warrior got his name for a reason. He had a lot of knives and all of them were big.

A figure stepped confidently through the trees as Wally and Dick prepared themselves to fight for their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T EAT WILD MUSHROOMS! ^_^


	9. Chapter 9

Bruce saw the Shawnee village through the trees. It had been a long three days. They'd found a farmer and his wife at Fort Duquesne who'd described Wally perfectly. They'd mentioned two other teenagers, but they couldn't describe them as well. It sounded like Roy and Dick, though. From there the three heroes had followed the radiation trail. They'd lost the boys for a while when the Shawnee had taken to the river, but the places where they had stopped led the Justice League members on.

"Remember, we belong here," Bruce muttered under his breath as they neared the village. It had been easy to pass themselves off as French, and there was no reason the Shawnee should be suspicious of them. Hopefully, anyway.

They were met by a warrior, and once it was known that they were French traders, they were warmly welcomed. Bruce was looking for Dick everywhere, but no big, happy blue eyes met his. He didn't see Wally or Roy either. Where were they? They should have been there. The three Justice League members were led into the council house by the chief. Everyone crowded around them, trying to see what they had to trade. Bruce had brought some things at the fort to complete their charade. It was some time before Bruce was able to slip away to search the village, leaving the distraction of the Shawnee in Oliver's and Barry's capable hands.

The Dark Knight crept from wigwam to wigwam. There were radiation signals everywhere. The boys were there or had been there for an extended period of time. He entered an empty home, and the scanner indicated a strong signal coming from a small bed to the left of the door. Bruce examined it. He found black hairs, which in of itself wasn't much, but he had brought some semblance of a lab with him. He lifted a fingerprint off the bed fame and compared it to one of Robin's he had on file. It was a match. His son had been here, so where was he now? Bruce turned to go, continuing his search. He found Wally's and Roy's fingerprints in two different wigwams. He looked around a little longer before going back to the council house. Batman found Oliver and Barry waiting for him.

"Find anything?" Barry asked in an undertone. He'd been in the dark through most of what had passed between Oliver and the Shawnee.

"Fingerprints. They were here," Batman told them.

"The chief said they had five captives escape a few days ago," Oliver said. He'd spoken to the chief through a Shawnee villager who spoke French. "One was his adopted son, 'Sky Fox'. He sent warriors after them, but they had to return to protect the village. He offered to pay us in furs and skins if we went after the captives and brought them back. I told him we'd look for them."

"We're catching up," Bruce said. How much longer was it going to take for him to find Dick?

The figure stepped through the trees. The man's red coat made him a clear target in their dense green surroundings. Dick slowly made himself seen. He didn't want to surprise the English soldier and get shot. The solider jumped when he saw Robin and raised his rifle.  
"Don't shoot!" Wally called from his hiding place. He came out with his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

"Who are you?" the man asked, wheeling his rifle in Wally's direction.

"I'm Dick Johnson, and this is Wally Allen. We were captured by the Shawnee and escaped with three others," Dick explained quickly.

"Where are the others?" the man demanded.

"Resting back there," Wally answered, pointing back the way they had come. He couldn't blame the man for being suspicious. The trusting did not live long in that day and age.

"How do I know you're not renegades, and there's an ambush waiting for me?" the man questioned, looking for any signs of deceit in the two teenagers.

"Because if we were renegades, we wouldn't have come out and made ourselves targets. It would have been much easier to shoot you from the trees, if we had anything to shoot with," Dick answered. "Now, who are you?"

"Major James Whitman of his Majesty King George's army," the solider said. He saw the reasoning in what Dick said, but he wasn't letting his guard down. "Were you followed?"

"We think so, but we never saw any Shawnee," Wally told him shortly. "Can we call the others? They will tell you the same thing we have."

"No," Whitman snapped. "Keep your hands up and walk back to your friends, slowly," he ordered, motioning with his gun the way Wally had indicated.

"Getting shot in the back would be the climax of this little trip," Dick huffed. He turned and headed off the way they had come.

"I won't shoot unless I have to," Whitman told him.

It wasn't far to their makeshift camp. Roy was on his feet the instant he saw the soldier. An arrow was fitted to the bow before anyone could speak. He was aiming for a lethal shot. The guy had one shot, but that was more than enough to kill one of them.

"Relax, Roy," Dick said, waving the weapon down. "He's English."

Roy lowered the bow, but he was still ready to shoot. "And exactly who is he planning on shooting?"

"No one. We're just having a bit of an identification issue," Robin said, smiling. He wondered briefly if Major Whitman was a jumpy man, and if he did shoot who would be hit. Those old rifles weren't accurate so maybe they could all get away unscathed. "The Major is concerned we are renegades."

A few minutes later Roy, Sean, and Heidi had confirmed what Dick and Wally had told the soldier.

"Alright," Whitman said lowering his gun, slightly. "Let's go. We aren't far from our encampment." He walked behind them, still apprehensive of an ambush. "How did you all manage to escape?" James had heard of one or two captives escaping, but never five together. The greater the number, the greater the risk of recapture.

Wally, being the best storyteller, recounted their capture, time with the Shawnee and their escape. "And that's how we ended up here," he finished.

"You were lucky. Most spend years in captivity," James told them.

"I think our guardians would have showed up before long," Dick shrugged. Where was Bruce anyway? He'd never taken this long in finding him.

"And what could they have done against the Shawnee?" James asked, mildly sarcastic.

"You would be surprised," Roy said as they stepped into a large open field that was full of row upon row of white tents. Red coated soldiers were everywhere. Most looked up, curious of the five dressed in deerskin and covered in mud.

"This way," James said, taking the lead. "The general will want to see you."

"Who are your friends, James?" another soldier asked, walking up to them. He couldn't be more than twenty-five.

"Some Shawnee captives that escaped," Whitman answered shortly. He introduced the five captives. "This is Major George Washington."

Roy jumped, and Wally looked shocked. Only Dick held back any reaction. "It's nice to meet you, sir," Robin said, shaking the future president's hand.

"And you," Washington said. He walked with them to the tent of General Edward Braddock, who was sitting at a desk looking over a crude map of the area.

Whitman explained the situation and who the new arrivals were.

"I'm sure we are all relieved you have escaped unharmed back to your people," Braddock said with a tone that indicated he didn't care one way or the other. Something about the way he held his nose in the air made Roy want to punch the man. This general got killed in this war, didn't he? Speedy would ask Dick later or look it up when they got back home. "Major Washington, see that they get something to eat. They will be sent east as soon as possible, unless of course you three older boys would be interested in joining his Majesty's army."

"I can't speak for Sean, but as for me and Wally, our families are looking for us," Roy said shortly.

"Very well. I'm sure you would be happy to serve your king by telling me what you learned from the Shawnee," Braddock said. He reminded Dick of some of the people he'd met at Bruce's parties. The type that believed they were superior and knew everything. This guy had no idea about this country or the mess he was walking into.

"Not much," Wally said. "It wasn't as if they discussed their plans with us. I could barely understand them."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't tell you anything," Heidi said. She had spent most of her captivity working to ready the village for winter.

"Roy, you caught anything?" Dick asked, looking at the older hero. He didn't know anything, and even if he had, the upcoming battles were very important and the outcome could not be altered. They would shape Washington into the soldier and the leader that he needed to become to fight the British in later years.

"Nothing that would help," Roy answered. He understood the importance of this time.

"I trust you don't have any sympathy for your captors," Braddock said, probing for sedition. It had happened before after all.

"No," Roy answered. He understood their way of life and he respected it, but he doubted the general would understand that, so there was no point in trying to explain that. They turned to go, but Dick stopped.

"Just so you know, the red coats are the easiest thing to see through the trees. It's like holding up a sign that says, 'Shoot me'. You might want to rethink the color. I, for one, wouldn't want to walk through the woods like that when the other guy doesn't mind shooting from a sheltered position," Robin told him. He was tempted to also tell him that standing in a field and letting the other side shoot at you was stupid, not to mention suicidal.

"And who taught you military tactics, young man?" Braddock asked angrily.

"My guardian," Dick answered and followed Washington out.

"I have told him that, but he will not listen," George said as he showed them to the cook's tent.

"His funeral," Wally shrugged, sitting down at a long table. Dick kicked him under the table. KF almost said something, but stopped himself. Wait, Braddock was killed. Well, that was an untimely comment.

"And his men's" Washington frowned. "I hope your families escaped the attack," he said, changing the subject. He should not discuss the problems he had with his commander with strangers.

"They weren't there," Wally answered. "They're looking for us." There were so many miles of dense wilderness, he didn't know how Uncle Barry was going to find him. How long would they be trapped here? And how were their families going to explain their disappearance if this turned into a long ordeal? People were going to notice they were gone soon. It could only be hidden for so long. It was odd to think that their present was going on, and their absences from their time could be affecting the future, and the three of them being in the past could change the future. With any luck, they wouldn't mess up American history.

It had been four days since Bruce, Oliver, and Barry had left the Shawnee village. They easily picked up the three teenagers' trail, which ran in a mostly straight line east. It was bad when the boys had gone through a river or a stream and walked either west or south for some time in an attempt to throw off any pursuit. The three League members wasted much time walking up and down river banks looking for any signs of where the boys had turned east again.

"I think Victor should dismantle that machine when we get back," Green Arrow said, as they walked.

"Agreed," Bruce answered. He couldn't get rid of the horrible sick feeling he'd gotten when they'd unearthed the clothes. That one would be giving him nightmares for weeks to come. When they got home, Robin wasn't going on patrol or missions for awhile, just until Batman was able to get that image out of his head for a whole hour at least.

"I'm going to take a look ahead," Flash said, before disappearing in, well, a flash.

"Wait." Bruce ordered, trying to tell him not to go off on his own, but the scarlet hero was already gone. "I really hate it when he does that." Was this how the Commissioner felt? If so, he needed to stop vanishing in the middle of the man's sentences, because this was annoying.

"Not so fun when you're on the other end of it?" Oliver asked, smiling for the first time since this new disaster. Batman didn't even comment on that.

Suddenly Flash came flying back. He was talking at a ridiculous speed. Bruce doubted even Robin would have been able to understand him. The thirteen year old exceled in figuring out what the two speedsters were trying to say when they got excited. Considering he spent most of his time with one, it made sense.

"Slow down," Batman ordered. Flash ended up taking more time than if he just explained himself in a coherent manner.

"The British army is eight miles away. Do you think the boys ran into them? There is strength in numbers after all, and they might have stuck with them," Barry said, his voice full of hope.

"Maybe," Bruce said. That would be the smart thing to do, and Dick would take into account that they had a better chance of surviving if they were surrounded by an army. He wasn't allowing himself to become hopeful just yet. He started walking rapidly the way Flash had gone. It wasn't long before they came across the marching army. They made enough noise to be heard two miles in every direction. Maybe this wasn't the safest place to be after all, but still it was worth checking into.

Bruce stepped out of the trees and onto the small trail the army was following. It could hardly be called a 'trail'. It was beautiful how untouched the land was, and at any other time he would have been enjoying the scenery, but right now he just wanted to break the bones of anyone who stood between him and his son.

"Halt!" the leader of the procession ordered, his horse rearing up slightly as he pulled the reins. "Identify yourself."

"I am Bruce. My friends and I are looking for our children, who were taken by the Shawnee," Batman answered. He could have been shot, but he definitely would have been, had he tried to sneak up on the soldiers.

"Where are your 'friends'?" the soldier asked, his eyes darting about at the surrounding trees.

"Oliver. Barry," Bruce called. The other two heroes stepped out as well.

The soldier looked over at another man who was clearly the general. "I am General Edward Braddock. One of my men did find five escaped captives. You may speak to them if you wish. I must ask that you lay down your weapons before you come closer," the general said.

Now Bruce really wanted to get out of there. Braddock suffered heavy losses on his way into the Ohio valley and ended up getting killed. It was best not to be there when things started going bad. Knowing that, would Dick and the others have gone on?

Bruce hadn't bothered to make a show by carrying a rifle. All he had was a knife, a hatchet, and his belt. Seeing as his belt didn't appear threatening, he just set down the other two weapons. Oliver did the same with his bow and quiver of arrows, and Barry carried nothing.

"You carry no guns?" Braddock asked. That seemed like a foolish thing to do in this place.

"Don't need them," Bruce answered. He walked through the soldiers looking for a short figure with jet black hair.

"Bruce!" Batman heard Dick's voice, and turned just as Robin shot into his arms. "What took you so long?" Bright, happy blue eyes pierced his own, asking for an explanation.

"Well, it would have been easier if you'd stayed in one place," Bruce answered. He was exhausted from stress. The fear that had been building in him from the moment Robin had disappeared was gone. "Are you hurt?"

"Nope. We're all fine," Dick answered.

Bruce looked away from his son for a moment to see Barry talking at the speed of light to his nephew and Oliver stumbling over words of happiness to Roy. He hadn't even heard the other heroes. Batman wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He thanked General Braddock for keeping the three heroes safe, while Dick, Wally, and Roy said good-bye to an older boy named Sean and a young lady named Heidi. Lastly the boys said good-bye to George Washington of all people. Once they were out of sight of the army Bruce pulled out the time machine's remote and recalled all six of them to the Watch Tower.

"That was wild," Dick said, sitting down. He wondered what ended up happening to Sean and Heidi. There had to be a record of them somewhere. He'd find out later.

"It was, and I even remembered to get a souvenir," Wally said proudly.

"I think our clothes cover it," Roy said pulling off his moccasins. It was time for that shower he'd been waiting who knows how many days for.

"Nope," Wally answered, reaching into his pack and pulling out a tricorne hat.

"A hat?" Dick asked. "I thought you weren't getting hats after you gave yourself lice."

"Well, this is George Washington's hat," Wally shot back.

"You stole the president's hat," Barry said. He didn't know whether to be amused or upset.

"He wasn't the president then. Besides, it's a piece of history," KF answered.

"You're all grounded," Batman said. "Robin for not getting out of the lab when Wally was messing with the machine and for scaring me out of fifteen years of my life, Speedy for letting Wally touch Cyborg's machine, and Kid Flash for disobeying Cyborg, messing with equipment you had no right to and for putting yourself and the others in a dangerous situation that you had no control over," he stated each reason before the boys could complain. He, Oliver, and Barry had had a lot of time to think of punishments while they were wandering around the wilderness.

"That's not fair," Roy complained. "I can't be held responsible for Wally's stupidity."

"You can. Now all of you hit the showers," Bruce ordered. He went to call Alfred.

"Could have been worse," Wally said as he and the other heroes walked out of the lab. "Maybe we could go back again and see some other important times in history."

"What did you have in mind?" Dick asked, laughing. It would be cool to see Lincoln give his Gettysburg's address, see V-E Day or a million other things he'd read about.

"No way. That's not happening. I'm not going to get dragged into anymore insane situations with you two," Roy said. That had been more than enough of an adventure for him.

"Just keep telling yourself that," Wally said. It was bound to happen again either in that time line or another.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. ^_^  
> *Copperhead was established 1785, but I couldn't find any settlements in the area and time period.


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